Monster Scares Up U.S. HDTV Sales

Monster Distributes has sold three high-profile animated works to Animania HD, one of 21 new, commercial-free high-definition channels created by Rainbow Media Holdings LLC.

The deal covers both of Monster’s animated caterpillar stories. Hermie: A Common Caterpillar, from U.S.-based GlueWorks Ent. and creator Max Lucado, employs the voices of Tim Conway, Don Knotts and Melissa Disneyto tell the story of two caterpillars who long to escape their dull, boring lives and become something great. The Lost Little Caterpillar, from Iceland-based Caoz Ent., follows the adventures of a spellbound princess and her struggle to understand the complexities of life.

Also included is Ape, a half-hour stop-motion short from Dublin-based Treasure Ent. Voiced by Alfred Molina (Spider-Man 2, Frida, Chocolat)comedian Dom Irrera (The Big Lebowski) and Michael McElhatton (The Actors, I Went Down), Ape tells the story of an orangutan who escapes from the zoo and passes himself off as a human to evade a zoo keeper obsessed with returning the primate to his cage. The ape goes on to become a famous talkshow host, but his success may be short lived when his old adversary recognizes him on TV.

Launched this October, Animania HD features long and short-form award-winning animation from festivals and popular cartoon classics. It is available exclusively on VOOM, serving customers throughout the continental United States.

Monster Distributes also recently sold Adam Elliot’s Annecy Award-winning short Harvie Krumpet to VPRO Netherlands, Arte in France, TSR Switzerland and Madman in Australia, and Rachel Johnson’s The Toll Collector to Canal+ Scandinavia, Sogecable Spain, Arte France, TSR Switzerland and Showtime in the US. In addition, the Oscar-nominated short Give Up Yer Aul Sins and animated pre-school series Why? both recently sold to Raisat Italy. Why? was also picked up by Teletoon France and Hop! in Israel, with Innoform Singapore licensing the second season.